Chennai Super Kings blew away the Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the IPL final to capture their third crown.
Shane Watson was the hero for Chennai with the experienced Aussie slamming an unbeaten 117 off just 57 balls to deliver an emphatic victory for MS Dhoni’s men.
The 36-year-old described it as a ‘special’ effort in the post-match presentation at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
“It’s just been a special season. To get an opportunity after my previous year, was incredible. Things fell my way nicely tonight, but to be able to do it in such a big game, it’s very special. After those first ten balls, I was hoping to catch up,” the Australian stated.
“Wanted to get run-a-ball before getting out. Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar) was excellent so we had to see the first six overs without any damage. Once the ball stopped swinging, it got easier. The good thing is I don’t have to play for a few months, so have some time to recover. The support with MS, Fleming and Simsek was excellent,” he added.
His team-mate Dwayne Bravo too was over the moon with the title win and applauded the team’s efforts to win the crown despite getting to play only one match at their home-ground in Chennai.
“It’s a special moment. Most of the guys, it’s their first time. We played just one game in Chennai, so a lot was going wrong. But we kept focus, and nothing’s better than winning titles. Experience is better than youth, and we’ve shown that. Experience comes across in moments like this. Watson’s a world-class player,” Bravo said.
Judging by the final scoreline, experience definitely trumped youth as Chennai’s veterans delivered when it mattered most.
